A campaign to provide students in orphanages and low-income families in Ethiopia and other developing countries has called on schools in Louisville, KY to get involved in the cause.

UniKids, a not-for-profit organization founded by native Ethiopian and Louisville resident Senait Mareligne, collects gently used and new school supplies and books from area schools and ships to Ethiopia, The Gambia, and other developing countries.

Many families struggle to equip their children with the necessary school supplies they need to pursue their education. They face difficulty to even buy the children the basic paper, pen, and pencil. However, the children are committed as they get up every morning and go to school.

UniKids goal is to boost these students learning desire by adding color and excitement to their learning experience. Our goal is for each student to have crayons, coloring pencils, coloring papers, markers, etc at their disposal and help them expand their imagination.

School supplies collection drive is going on through out the month of May to engage as many schools as possible before the end of the school year. So far, six area schools are committed to involve their students in the drive and donate school supplies and books.

The goal is to reach to ten schools where UniKids will be able to collect enough supplies to support about 500 students in orphanages and low-income families in Ethiopia.